Capable of Being Saved
by sulliadw
Summary: It's been five years since Klaus left Mystic Falls for New Orleans and Caroline feels as if things have been left unfinished. She's gone to college and experienced a semi-normal life. She travels to New Orleans just to see what the city is all about, but what she doesn't anticipate is that her brief planned visit is about to extend and she'll be in the middle of the storm.
1. Chapter 1

_Ever since the Originals promo came out after "Pictures of You", I've been obsessed with the Fall Out Boy song "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)". The more I listened to it, the more I realized how it fits with Klaus and his nature/personality. Also, as I listened to it a short drabble (or video highlight) kept coming up in my head and a whole story began to form. This is my first attempt at a fanfic and obviously am a HUGE Klaroline fan. I try to stay true to canon, even though I love reading off-canon stories, but nothing is better than canon we want/need to happen. Please review and I hope you enjoy it! I'll update as my time as allows it, but thankfully all I have to do is listen to the Fall Out Boy song to know where I want to go with this story. __**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.**_

Caroline stepped out of the cab at the corner of Canal and Bourbon street and looked around in awe at the sight before her. No longer was she in sleepy Mystic Falls, but the bustling metropolis of New Orleans and she felt a distinct thrill travel up her spine as she spun around drinking in the details. She'd never been outside of Mystic Falls before and this was her first foray into the world, alone no less. As a vampire, Caroline felt safer than most seventeen year old girls on her own, but she still felt a sense of apprehension at the change. How was she to know what lay ahead in New Orleans? She knew from Stefan that the city itself was overrun with vampires and she'd heard through various rumors that one of them had unofficially declared himself king and taken control of the city as no vampire had ever dared to do so before in a large metropolitan area. Said king was also rumored to be a protege of the Original big bad himself, but Caroline was trying not to focus on that; she didn't want to be reminded of a certain hybrid's darker days.

It had been five years since Klaus had left Mystic Falls for New Orleans and everyone had breathed a collective sigh of relief at his departure. No longer were Klaus's violent mood swings a focal point of everyone's concern and life had moved on in Mystic Falls. Like everyone else, Caroline had also been relieved to hear of the hybrid's departure, but a tiny part of her heart kept telling her that something was missing in her life since Klaus left. She attributed it to the fact that she and Klaus had had a confrontation of sorts before he left and things were left unfinished between them.

Klaus returned to Mystic Falls briefly after his first trip to New Orleans to discover more information on the lead Katherine had given him regarding a certain witch's plot against him. Klaus arrived in New Orleans to find that his protege Marcel had taken the city over completely, driven out the werewolves, and placed rules on the practicing witches in town, giving the vampires free reign. He also learned that his one night stand with Hayley resulted in a freak of nature pregnancy that had the witches up in arms at the thought that this child would be their savior from Marcel's cruel and harsh world. Klaus was furious at first at the thought of Hayley bringing his child into the world, when the night had been a vent of frustrations for the both of them, and wanted nothing more than to erase the permanence this child would create of that night. But Elijah managed to convince Klaus the baby would bring them together as a family as they'd never been able to before and Klaus made the decision to move back to New Orleans. Right before his return to Mystic Falls, Klaus had called Caroline and left a voice message:

_"Caroline, I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world... Surrounded by food, music, art, culture. And all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me."_

She had re-played that message over and over again and could never bring herself to delete it. Hearing the longing and desire in his voice for her company, even when he was so far way, drove the tiny inkling Caroline had in her heart that maybe Klaus wasn't the villain they all portrayed them to be. She remembered what Stefan had said to her about Klaus being lonely at the heart of it all, and Caroline wondered if that was enough to forgive someone for the horrible things he'd done.

_"Anyone who is capable of love is capable of being saved."_

Caroline wanted to believe that of Klaus and his message had given her a glimmer of hope that maybe it was possible to bring him out of the darkness. She knew she shouldn't continue asking herself whether Klaus was savable or not, especially considering Tyler was still banned from Mystic Falls for an indefinite time period and everything Klaus had done to drive him away in the first place, but something about Klaus's persistence and attraction to her kept Caroline waiting in anticipation for his next move. She knew it was wrong to let herself be attracted to someone so horrible, but Klaus's message once again showed her a very vulnerable side to the Original hybrid. When they met up with one another shortly after Klaus's return, Caroline went in with a far more open mind to the hybrid that she'd ever had before.

_"So where'd you go that caused you to think of me?" Caroline asked as soon as she saw him._

_"New Orleans. My family's hometown more or less. I had some business to attend to and I was thinking of the promise I had made you a while ago to show you the world. I thought to myself, what better place to start than a city I helped build."_

_"What was your business in New Orleans?"_

_"A witch supposedly was trying to plot against me, but it seems she has far greater aspirations than my downfall. I give her credit for drawing my attention, though. I will be returning to New Orleans for the unforeseeable future."_

_"So why come back to Mystic Falls at all?"_

_" I have some unfinished business here."_

_During this exchange, Klaus had been slowly moving towards Caroline, until he was inches away from her. She could feel her dead heart increasing its tempo as Klaus drew nearer, but Caroline tried to remain as impassive as possible._

_"What is so importa..." Caroline began to ask before Klaus's phone went off._

_"Sorry, love. It's Elijah. Family first." Klaus said as he checked the caller ID. He walked away a bit before picking up the line but not far enough that Caroline couldn't here the resulting conversation._

_"When are you coming back?" _

_"Soon, brother. I need to wrap up things here in Mystic Falls before heading south again."_

_"You must be referring Caroline. Are you going to tell her about Hay..."_

_"Elijah, not now."_

_At the brief mention of the werewolf's name, Caroline's ears perked up and she looked at Klaus intently. He looked back and saw she was watching him, sighed and said, "Elijah, I'll call you when I'm finished here."_

_He hung up the phone and walked back to the spot where Caroline stood standing. There was a tension in her that hadn't been there before the phone call. This was not the way he had envisioned telling her, but how do you tell the woman you're infatuated with that you've gone and got someone she dislikes with her whole being pregnant._

_"Hayley's in New Orleans now? Well, good riddance. But why does Elijah care about her? It's not like she's got anything to do with your family."_

_"As much as I wish I could say she has nothing to do with my family, I'm afraid that's the complete opposite as of now. She has everything do with my family now."_

_"What? How? Is Elijah now into her? I thought he and Katherine were at it, not that I care, but Hayley's a step down for Elijah, don't you..."_

_"Caroline. Stop. Please. This is already difficult for me to say." Klaus looked into her eyes, took a deep breath and began, "I... I... Hayley's pregnant. With my child. And my busine..."_

_"WAIT... WHAT?! HAYLEY'S PREGNANT?! How is that possible? You're dead!"_

_"Some loophole in nature. It's not my first choice either..."_

_"Hold the phone... I need to rewind now, because Hayley pregnant with your child means... YOU SLEPT WITH HER. WHEN?"_

_"A few week ago... We were both venting our frustrations..."_

_" I don't need to know the reason why. You slept with her! I can't believe you Klaus. You go to New Orleans, find out you knocked up a were-slut with some freaky, nature loophole and you STILL HAVE THE NERVE TO CALL ME AND TELL ME YOU WANT ME AT YOUR SIDE."_

_"Caroline, if there is one thing I am deadly serious about it's that I wish this had never happened. But I can't change that now. I wanted the child and Hayley dead..." Klaus voice echoed his frustration at the matter. Anyone other than Caroline would have back away in fear._

_"Oh, because that makes up for everything. Kill the problem. Doesn't fix the fact that you still SLEPT WITH HER. You know how I feel about her and after everything she's done..."_

_"WHY DO YOU CARE?!" Klaus roared. "It's not like you've ever given me the time. Caroline, you know I desire you and want nothing more than to show you the world and give you everything to make you happy. But you're still too caught up with Tyler to see all that I can offer you. You have no right to care who I sleep with because we are not together, nor have we ever been together and as far as I know, you despise me. You think I'm a horrible, murderous monst..."_

_"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"_

_"I'm sorry?" Klaus's voice had taken on a deadly soft edge and he started advancing on Caroline. She couldn't hold her ground any more and felt herself backing away from Klaus. "What's not true? You've said so yourself that I am a horrible person. You've seen what I've done. I killed twelve of my own hybrids for breaking their sire bond, driven Tyler out of this godforsaken town more time than I care to count and killed his own mother as revenge for trying to kill me. I've hurt your friends and the people you care about more times than I can count. According to you, for my actions, I am a horrible person. And yet, you say it's not true? Tell me, what's not true, Caroline?"_

_"I... I... don't use my words against me!"_

_"By all means, love, why shouldn't I? You scream and rage at me for sleeping with another girl when you've never given me anything but rejection. A bit hypocritical I would say. Is this jealousy I smell, Caroline?"_

_"No! No... I don't know!"_

_"Well you'd better make up your mind. I meant what I said in that voice message and every other time I've offered. I want to show you the world. I want to show you genuine beauty. Hayley means nothing to me and has never meant anything to me. I came back to Mystic Falls to ask you to come to New Orleans with me. I'm going to need people by my side who I can trust. My family. And you. One of the reasons I cannot let go of you is because you cannot let go of me. I see it in you Caroline. Even after I've done something horrific and you look at me with disgust in your eyes, there's a small part of you that won't shut me out. It's why you keep letting me back in. Come with me, Caroline."_

_"I... I can't. Not after this." Caroline's voice shook. All her righteous anger had disappeared as Klaus threw the facts back in her face. She shouldn't care and had no right to. He was right. But, a small part of her was screaming... NO! This isn't right. Klaus is YOURS. He's offered you everything. Hayley has no claim to him. You have every right to be upset. She was backed up against a tree, with tears streaming down her face as she battled with herself internally. She wanted to go to New Orleans with him and take him up on his offer to see the world. But after finding out about Hayley, Caroline couldn't bring herself to look at Klaus, much less go to New Orleans with him._

_"I'm sorry, Caroline. I truly am," Klaus said softly. Caroline looked up into his eyes at his gentle tone. There was deep sadness in them and she desperately wanted to reach her hand up to his cheek and take that sadness out. Klaus must have seen something in her eyes, because some of the sadness disappeared and he lightly clasped her shoulder. "I said it once, Caroline and I will say it again. Small town life is not for you. I will wait for you. Whether it be a year from now, five years from now, or even a century and more. I will wait for you to show up at my doorstep and accept my offer. I promise you."_

_Caroline said nothing. Likely because she knew that at some point she would end up on his doorstep, thirsting for knowledge of the world outside Mystic Falls, Virginia. So she just looked at him until he sighed and gave a soft smile. "I wish you nothing but happiness. And I hope to see you one day. Until then, farewell Caroline."_

_And with that Klaus was gone._

Caroline had replayed that scene over and over again in her mind during the past five years. And every time she wished she could have reacted differently. She told herself she was justified in her anger at Klaus for sleeping with Hayley, and even more so for the baby! But, the rational part of her knew her anger was worthless. Klaus had been right. She'd never given him anything but rejection; except in the weeks after she killed the twelve witches, when Klaus had reached out to her for help against Silas and he had shyly asked for her friendship after. After that, a small truce had existed between them and Caroline felt herself fighting her attraction to Klaus more and more. It was after Klaus had slept with Hayley (and admitted it to Caroline), that she realized she cared more deeply for this scarred hybrid than she ever thought possible.

Graduation in Mystic Falls came and went. Silas had tried to open the veil, but they had all rallied together in the last possible seconds to destroy both Silas and the veil. After that, life settled back into a normal existence, except instead of going back to Mystic Falls High that fall, everyone dispersed to various colleges for their freshmen year. Caroline went to the University of Virginia on scholarship, joined a sorority, majored in Communications and graduated in four years without so much as a hint of supernatural activity. But all the while, she thought of Klaus and his life in New Orleans, and she found that as time wore on, she wanted to see the Original hybrid once again. Caroline had kept in touch with Stefan throughout her four years at college and through him (by way of Rebekah) she knew a little of Klaus's actions and movements in New Orleans.

After graduation she went home to Mystic Falls to spend time with her mother and enjoy home a little while longer before setting out alone to see the world. She knew she couldn't remain in Mystic Falls for much longer as everyone around would continue to age and she would remain seventeen forever. One day, her mother took her aside and laid out a portfolio in front of her. "What's this?"

"Money left behind for you from your father." Liz Forbes replied. "When you were born he put a small amount in the bank and began to add to it every year on major occasions. Your birthday, Christmas, etc. After he had a nice lump sum, he began to invest it so that you would have a way to pay for college and have some money under your belt after graduation. Because of your scholarship, none of the money was touched and it's only continued to grow. I know you're going to leave soon, so I wanted you to have this. And I know your father would want you to have it. He's invested the money wisely, so you'll have a steady return for a long time. He also took care of your "aging" problem, as he liked to call it. You'll always have the best financial advisors in the country who are sworn to secrecy and will keep your money safe for years to come."

Caroline started crying at the gift left to her by her father. For all that he had done to her when he'd found out she was a vampire, he still loved her enough to make sure she was cared for even after he was gone. She hugged her mom tightly and looked over the portfolio to give herself a better understanding of her own financial independence. With the gift left to her by her father, Caroline knew it was time she head south to New Orleans.

As she stood on the corner of Canal and Bourbon, Caroline reflected back on the past five years and knew she was in a better place now than when Klaus had originally asked her to join him. She needed the five years to really put her life into perspective and find out what she truly wanted. Caroline laughed to herself at the thought that it took a pregnant Hayley and five years for her to come to the conclusion that she wanted to see exactly what Klaus was offering to her. She wasn't sure yet what would come of that curiosity, but she was willing to find out. She slung her small duffel over her shoulder and slowly made her way down Bourbon Street.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow… Just wow. Thank you. I didn't expect quite the reaction this received, but I'm truly grateful. And yes, another chapter in one day. Needless to say, I was inspired. But I hate to do this, because I don't think I'll be able to keep up with your expectations for posts. I'll do my very best to keep you up to date as best I can. This chapter is a little shorter, but I had to end it where I do. You'll see **** Anyways, again thank you, please review and enjoy!**

**Chapter 2**

Bourbon Street was alive. And not just in the sense that hundreds of people were milling about in the most famous of New Orleans' attractions, but in a way that everything about the street was bursting with a different flavor of life. Klaus's message finally begins to make sense as Caroline walked down the crowded avenue. There was color and life in almost every corner and she wasn't able to absorb it all at once. In Mystic Falls, every sight, sound, scent, and movement was familiar to Caroline. In New Orleans the bustling activity was an overload for her heightened vampire senses, but Caroline was thrilled by the novelty of it. She doesn't know where to look first, so decides to focus on the architecture the French Quarter is famous for. Old ironwork trellises and porches frame houses painted brilliant pinks, blues and yellows, while ivy clings to the framework and sets the tone for a time long past. Caroline begins to understand why Klaus was drawn to this city and to feel more comfortable about her decision to come here.

As she walks along the street, distracted by everything around her, Caroline doesn't notice as she collides with another body. "Watch where you're going, miss," a smooth voice says, "Don't want to bowl anyone over now, do we?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I was distracted and not paying attention!" Caroline responded breathlessly.

She looked up into deep brown eyes and involuntarily shivered at the calculating gleam within. _This is definitely not someone I want to mess around with_, she thought to herself.

"Not to worry. Enjoy your day, miss." The man tipped his head toward her and walked away, followed closely by two more people.

Caroline shrugs off the sense of dread that had settled over her while looking into the stranger's eyes and mentally checks herself to pay more attention to where she's going. After all, this isn't Mystic Falls. Caroline walks further into the Quarter and realizes with each step that she has no idea where to even begin to look for Klaus when a sign suddenly catches her eye. _Deveraux's_. She vaguely recalls a conversation with Stefan in which he mentioned Klaus was involved with a witch by the name of Sophie Deveraux. Caroline hopes this is the restaurant owned by the witch and formerly her sister, rumored to have died at the hand of Marcel five years ago. As she comes up to the doorway, she notices a small sign in the window, _Help Wanted - Room and Board Included_. Caroline grins to herself at her luck and pushes her way into the dimly lit restaurant. "We're closed for the afternoon while we prep for dinner! Can't you read?" a voice calls out from the back.

"Umm... I saw your sign in the window and I wanted to know if I could apply. I'm new to the city and I don't have a place to stay."

A young woman walks out of the back room, presumably the kitchen, drying her hands off on a kitchen towel. Caroline gasps as she sees the woman in full light. She's very pretty with dark brown hair, olive skin tone, and serious eyes. "Well, you definitely don't look like you're from around here. Where are you from?"

"Virginia." Caroline decides to answer simply and not make known her relationship to Klaus just yet. She wants to test the waters of the city for herself first.

The woman looks Caroline over thoroughly first before speaking. "You don't look like anyone who's had experience with waitressing before, but I need someone quick so you'll do for now. I have three more hands on staff, one for the bar, the kitchen and the dining room. You'll take over the dining room tonight. If you're a quick learner and do good work, I'll take you on. You got yourself a week to prove yourself. The room's yours for the time being and if I decide to take you on you can stay there. Deal?"

"Yes. You won't be sorry, I promise."

"Don't promise me anything. Just do your job. I'll show you upstairs, let you get settled and I want you back down in thirty minutes so I can introduce you to the rest of the staff and go over the intricacies of this shop. What's your name?"

"Caroline."

A flash of recognition flashes in the woman's eyes before it's quickly masked, and Caroline waits with baited breath that she won't say anything about Klaus. Mercifully, she just nods and turns toward the back of the building. Caroline picks up her bag and follows her up the narrow staircase to the second floor where she leads her to a bedroom overlooking the alley in the back. The room is small, but clean, and has enough room for a full sized bed, small dresser and nightstand. The sheets are white and pristine and there's enough light coming through the white lace curtains to brighten the room. "Remember, thirty minutes."

"I'll be there... Wait! What's your name?" Caroline manages to call out before the woman disappears back down the stairs.

"Sophie. Sophie Deveraux."

Later that night, Caroline is up to her elbows in orders, plates, and hungry patrons. And she thanks her lucky stars for all the high stress activities she involved herself in during high school and college. Nothing compares to the task of waitressing, but she's able to keep a cool head throughout the night and doesn't skip a beat even when a customer rudely states that her ice water didn't have enough lemon in it. For the fourth time. The rest of the patrons seem to like her and Caroline gets along well with the bartender, Camille, and the other waitress, Therese, and the night passes smoothly. During clean up, Sophie walks over to Caroline and says, "I don't need a week. You'll stay."

Caroline looks up from the table she'd been cleaning and smiles genuinely at Sophie, "Thank you! You won't be disappointed."

Sophie casts a small smile at Caroline and turns back into the kitchen. Caroline briefly wonders why Sophie gave her the benefit of the doubt before returning to the tables she's wiping down. At the end of the night, she crawls into bed, exhausted, but pleased with herself for finding a job and a place to board. Even though she doesn't need the money, she wants be responsible and earn her keep. She figures it'll help her blend in more with the natives of the city. Just as she's about to fall asleep, a light knock comes at her door. "Come in?"

Sophie pokes her head around the door frame and sees that Caroline's awake before letting herself into the room and sitting on the edge of Caroline's bed. "I know what you are. And I know who you are. Klaus has mentioned you in passing a few times in the years since he's been here, but I'm surprised to see you here. If I see him I won't say anything to him. I have a sense you'd like to seek him out on your own."

"Yes, I'd be grateful for that." The look of recognition in Sophie's eyes from earlier is explained and Caroline feels she can put some trust in this young woman. "Klaus asked me to come with him a few years back when he first came here. But I was too stubborn and proud then. I needed time to really understand myself before I sought him out again. I'm still not sure why I'm here, but I know I need to be here."

"Good," Sophie replies, "Because I think you need to be here too. I'm assuming you know about the child?"

"Yes. But I don't much else other than he was born about four and a half years ago."

"His name is Kol, after Klaus's deceased brother, and he's not a normal child. He's three parts werewolf and one part we're not entirely sure about. But he's a gift and he's all we have right now. We've been able to keep the knowledge of them quiet for the past five years and we need to keep it that way. Hayley and the child are outside of New Orleans, the city's too dangerous for them to live within the city proper, so we've had them in Baton Rouge since the child's birth. Not too far away, but far away enough.

"I've had a strange feeling that something's not right within Marcel's control. He's tightened measures a little in the past few months, but I think there's something bigger coming. That's why I'm glad you're here. I think you'll be of more use to us than we know at this point. That's why I took you on so quickly. I wanted you to know you could trust me."

Caroline processes the information she's just heard from Sophie for a moment before answering, "Thank you. And I understand the importance of everything. You can trust me too."

"I know I can. Get some sleep. You've got another long day ahead and I have a feeling Klaus is going to find out you're here sooner rather than later."

Sophie gets up off the bed and turns to the door. She hesitates and turns back around just before leaving, "Don't mention to anyone else you're from Virginia. I don't imagine Klaus has spoken of you to Marcel, but it can't hurt to keep that quiet. Not even to Cami and Therese. Cami knows some of this, but Therese is blissfully unaware and I'd like to keep both of them as far away as possible."

"Absolutely." Caroline's thankful there wasn't time to go into her background before starting her shift that night. There'll be more time for that later and more time for her to come up with a plausible story.

"Also, I should mention that Cami's a little into Klaus. She'll likely be all over you once she finds out the two of you know one another."

"Got it." Caroline's not particularly worried about the blonde human bartender, but she's also been traveling for a good part of the day as well as having been on her feet since early afternoon, and her brain is starting to shut itself down for want of sleep.

"Good night, Caroline."

Sophie shuts the door and Caroline burrows herself under the covers, grateful to fall asleep at last.

The week flies by and soon Caroline's been assimilated into the daily grind of _Deveraux's_. It's not like anything else she's ever done in her life, but she relishes the work and enjoys the passing patrons. She begins to recognize those who are human and those who aren't. Mainly recognizing the latter by seeing several faces only once the sun has set or by the lapis lazuli stone she sees on a select few vampires. These vampires, Sophie informs her, are a part of Marcel's inner circle and thus have the privilege of knowing the secret to being a day walker.

At the end of the week, Sophie had left Caroline alone to prep the dining room for dinner that evening when two day walkers strolled in, clearly in the mood to start the night time activities early. "Hey sugar, won't you get us some glasses and help a friend out?"

"I'm sorry, we're closed until dinner. Come back in an hour and we can help you out then."

"Ah, but we're not looking for later, we're looking for right now. Caroline, sugar, what do you say?"

At this one of the boys had decided to grab Caroline by waist and bring her closer to him. Reacting on instinct, Caroline vamped out and threw him down to the floor. "I said no!"

"You're a vampire?!"

_Crap_, Caroline thought to herself, _This is where compulsion would come in handy._ She was about ready to try and talk her way out of the situation when a cool, British voice, with a smirk in every word, floated into the dining room.

"Well, love, you haven't lost your propensity for rejection. I will say though, I'm certainly pleased to see you here."


	3. Chapter 3

_To start, thank you again for all who have shown interest in my story! It really touches me that you enjoy this so much. Again, I feel as though I'm spoiling you with updates, but I can't seem to help myself. I'm on a roll. Chapter 3 for your reading pleasure. And as always, please review and enjoy!_

**Chapter 3**

Caroline whipped her head up at the sound of Klaus's voice so forcibly she almost cracked three of the vertebrae in her neck. He was standing in the doorway of the restaurant, legs apart and hands clasped behind his back, almost as if five year hadn't passed since the last time they saw one another. His usual smirk was on his face, showcasing his dimples in a way that made Caroline feel as though she were thirteen years old again and discovering that boys weren't so bad after all. She noticed he hadn't changed a bit with regard to his clothing choices in the past five years either. Klaus still wore his black leather jacket over a Henley t-shirt and neutral colored pants; Caroline thought to herself that he could walk around in the most feminine clothing possible and still look good. She shook her head at her internal thoughts and refocused on the situation at hand.

"A little help here?"

Caroline was still on top of the day walker who'd tried to grab her and the other was standing by the bar, looking dumbfounded at the recent play of events. Klaus took his time looking over Caroline, smiling to himself as he went along. She hadn't changed physically (she was forever seventeen), but he could see there was more confidence in her movement and aura. She knew who she was in high school, but the past five years had really allowed Caroline to become herself and he could see that in every facet of her being.

"Hello! Earth to Klaus! I could hold this guy all day but there's still the problem of the fact he knows I'm vampire now and I'd really appreciate some help with that."

Klaus chuckled to himself at her tone. She was still fiery Caroline alright. At the sound of Klaus's chuckle the second day walker seemed to slip out of his daze and tried to escape via the back door, but Klaus anticipated his reaction and caught him before he was able to get halfway across the room. "You will go back to Marcel and forget you ever came here. You will also forget that Caroline is a vampire and make no mention of it to anyone."

Klaus's pupils dilated as he compelled the day walker and released him. The day walker exited the building with a confused look on his face and walked away. Klaus made his way over to where Caroline still had the first day walker trapped under her. He knelt down beside her and, trying to ignore the scent wafting from her skin, bent over to look directly into the day walker's eyes. He gave the first the same instructions as the second and straightened up after he finished. Klaus held his hand out to Caroline to help her from the floor, but she pointedly looked away and picked herself up, brushing the dirt off her jeans as she stood. They watched silently as the first day walker finally left the building. Klaus turned to Caroline and watched her compose herself before she finally turned to face him.

The last time they'd been alone together had been five years ago in the woods outside of Mystic Falls. Klaus remembered very clearly the conversation (if you could call it that) that occurred and winced inwardly at the memory. Looking back he wished the situation could have been handled differently, but who was he to complain now? Caroline was finally in New Orleans and that was all that mattered. Klaus wasn't quite sure what the call the emotion coursing through him at the sight of her physically here, but he was pretty sure it could be described as pure happiness. During the past five years, Klaus would catch glimpses of blonde hair in the crowd and he'd anxiously look to see if the face matched the one in his memory. Every time he was disappointed and with each year that passed, Klaus continued to hold onto his conviction that one day she would find him. It seemed that year had finally come.

"What brings you to the delightful city of New Orleans, love?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at the term of endearment, some things never change, but her heart thrilled to hear it from him again. "Oh, you know. Just passing through. I've heard it's quite the epicenter for vampires these days. I wanted to see what all the hype was about."

Her tone was casual, nothing to imply that she was really here to see someone specifically. Klaus raised his eyebrow and his smirk grew at her tone. He could see she wasn't going to give in so easily and he grew excited at the thought of bickering with Caroline once more. Of all the things he missed about her, her ability to spar with him verbally was at the top of that list. She alone, outside of his immediate family, could cut him down with a single word or look at him as if she were bored with the conversation. No one had ever been able to keep him on his toes like Caroline. "I promise you won't leave disappointed. How are you finding your lodgings at Miss Deveraux's?"

Caroline's eyes widened in shock at that. "How do you know where I'm staying? Have you known all week that I've been here?"

"The French Quarter is a small part of New Orleans, love, and when change occurs, word spreads fast. Now in my defense, I don't know when exactly you got here, but I have known since Tuesday that you've been living and working here. A couple of nightwalkers were talking about the new blonde, delectable waitress at Deveraux's, their words not mine, and imagine my intrigue when they said her name was Caroline. I thought to myself, what are the odds? And so naturally, I had to find out myself. Imagine my surprise when I looked in on Wednesday and saw you waltzing through your duties as if you'd been born for the role.

"I figured there was a reason you hadn't sought me ought upon your immediate arrival, so I decided to let you have your space. I happened to be walking by when I heard your friends drop in and I decided now would be as good of time as any to pop in."

"Figures you would know exactly what's going on at all times," Caroline sarcastically replied, "I didn't seek you out initially because I didn't know where to look when I first got here. Then Sophie took me under her wing and subtly encouraged to me to keep a low profile. I knew you would find me sooner or later."

"I'm touched by your confidence. Now, do you really mean to continue working here?"

"Yes. I like it here. I have a room of my own and Sophie's been nothing but wonderful to me. I also think with the low profile thing I got going on, it'd be better to stay here."

Klaus raised his hands up as if in defeat, "Far be it from me to argue with you, love. I learned long ago once you put your mind to something, you see it through to completion. However, given that you are here now, I wouldn't mind seeing you, whether it be a social or intimate setting. I want to be sure you're settling in nicely."

A smirk of her own grew on Caroline's face at his words. "I think I could make that happen. We did agree to be friends once. And friends casually meet up with one another."

Klaus laughed out loud. It was one of the first genuine laughs from him in a long while and it felt good to express that emotion.

"Distracting my waitresses again, Klaus?" came a voice from the kitchen.

Caroline and Klaus turned to see that Sophie had arrived back from her errand. "More like helping out a friend in need. How come you failed to mention her arrival to me, Sophie?" Klaus's voiced was light, but there was a slight steel edge to it.

Sophie stared back without so much a twitch in her eyes. "She asked me not to. I don't make a habit of doing things people have asked me not to do."

"I'll forgive you this time. But from now on, I want you to come to me if anything happens. Do I make myself clear?"

"I won't let anything happen to her. But if I need your help, I'll ask."

Klaus pressed his lips together tightly and stared at Sophie long and hard. He finally conceded with a tiny nod of his head and turned back to Caroline. With a low bow and a grin, he said, "Caroline, I'm very glad to see you again. Let me know when you can spare time away from your slave driver and I'll show you the city."

She chuckled and shook her head, "I'll be in touch soon."

And with another grin, he was gone.

"Well that was certainly a surprise, although I expected to see him sooner," came Sophie's voice, breaking through Caroline's thoughts, "What did he mean by helping out a friend?"

"Oh, two day walkers came in and tried to cause some trouble. I reacted on instinct and they sorta saw that side of me we're trying to keep quiet."

"Please tell me by help you mean Klaus compelled them to forget what they say."

"Yes."

Sophie breathed a sigh of relief at that, "I know it will come out sooner or later within Marcel's circle, but I'd rather have you established here and feigning innocence when that happens. It just looks better for all of us."

"I know. I feel better about it too. I just realized I haven't met or seen Marcel since my arrival."

"Don't worry. You will soon enough. Now, finish up down here and you can have some time back this afternoon to rest if you wish. You look tired."

"That would be fantastic. Thanks, Sophie."

Sophie gave the blonde vampire a small smile before turning back into the kitchen to finish her prep for dinner that night. She had witnessed a little bit of Caroline's interactions with the hybrid and from it, she was even more assured of her decision to keep Caroline on as a waitress in her restaurant. Klaus's aura had changed since the blonde's arrival in town; Sophie had never seen the hybrid more relaxed in her life. There was still a tension in him, Sophie supposed that had come with his years spent on Earth, but Caroline's presence brought forth a subtle calm to Klaus. She started slicing up peppers for her gumbo, lost in her train of thought of what Caroline's presence in New Orleans could mean for Klaus.

Klaus opened the door to his family's Burgundy Street home in the French Quarter with a grin on his face. The world seemed full of possibilities now that Caroline was back in his life, even if she was going to make life slightly difficult again. He made his way through the marble foyer of the house to the den where he kept his scotch. He pour himself a glass and went to stand in the doorframe leading to the private courtyard on the side. It was late afternoon and the sun was no longer shining on the brick patio, but Klaus was happy for the shade. The shadows had always appealed to him and it was where he felt most comfortable. He leaned against the doorframe, lost in his thoughts, occasionally sipping from the crystal cut glass.

He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the front door open or Rebekah come in with a load of shopping bags. It was only when a shouted "Nik!" coming from the front hall did Klaus pull himself back to Earth. He sighed and put his glass down on the sideboard before walking to the foyer to see his younger sister.

Rebekah hadn't changed much in the five years since they left Mystic Falls, the only noticeable difference were in her clothes, which she altered to match the tastes and styles of New Orleans. She had matured a little since the birth of Klaus's son; seeing to his welfare had become one of her main focuses in life and she wasn't so quick to rash actions as much. Much of it Klaus attributed to the fact that Rebekah felt a deep sense of obligation to her nephew and felt that any action could potentially have a small or big consequence to him, and as such, she was more careful about the things she said and did. She wouldn't be happy to hear that Caroline was in town; it would be one more person to worry about with regards to little Kol's safety. But Klaus had to tell her, Rebekah would eventually run into her at some point and Klaus didn't want to have to deal with the possible after effects of that encounter. He stepped into the foyer, noticed the stream of shopping bags along the wall and found his little sister shutting the front door. "Have you run through the shops of New Orleans once again, little sister?"

Rebekah rolled her eyes at her older brother. "Yes, and if you had a problem with it, you would have cut me off long ago. Or daggered me, depending on your mood."

Klaus smirked at the offhand comment about the dagger. It'd been almost six years since the last time he daggered his youngest sibling and though there had been times he seriously considered it, Klaus knew he was stronger with his family surrounding him than in a box. "You look happy. What's happened now? Wait, don't tell me. Marcel's gone and made you king after realizing you are a much better candidate for the job."

"No, although that would make my life less complicated. But it's much simpler than that. An old friend has decided to come visit us in New Orleans finally."

"Stefan?" Rebekah perked up instantly at the thought of Stefan returning.

"No, not Stefan I'm afraid. Although it would be nice to have the Ripper by my side during a time like this. It is a member of the Mystic Falls crowd and I'm very pleased she's decided to join us."

"She?" Rebekah's forehead scrunched in confusion, until... "Caroline?!"

"The one and only."

"Ugh... Nik. That's the last person we need in this city. She doesn't care about any of us. Who knows what'll happen now? And after everything we've gone through?"

"She's working for and living with Sophie Deveraux. I'd say we have every reason to trust her. Sophie wouldn't have allowed her to stay if she'd seen something she didn't like in Caroline. You know that as well as anyone."

Klaus looked at his sister pointedly at this remark. Rebekah knew firsthand that Sophie Deveraux disliked and distrusted most vampires in New Orleans, she'd seen the witch throw enough of them out of her restaurant. But she'd seen something in Rebekah when they first met, perhaps she could sense Rebekah would put little Kol's life before her own if it came to it, and a quiet friendship had existed between the witch and the blonde Original since then.

"Well, what's Caroline in New Orleans got to do with me?"

"She's been keeping herself under the radar since her arrival this past week, with Sophie's help. I wanted to ask you to keep yourself in check if you see her on the streets. I don't want it known we know her from outside of New Orleans and I want it to seem natural that she assimilates herself in our fold."

"Why? It's not like anyone around here cares."

"I would rather not have Marcel know her relation to us."

Rebekah raised her eyebrow at this comment from Klaus. It was unlike him to put obvious measures forward to protect anyone other than himself. But, then again, Rebekah had never seen her brother so affected by anyone in his life, and that included members of his own family. And if Sophie could see something in her, then Rebekah would also try to look for the positive in her as well.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello! Thank you again for all your kind words and those of you who have taken my story to heart. It makes me want to write for you because you all enjoy it so much. Here is Chapter 4 for your reading pleasure... I don't know when I'll be able to post Chapter 5, but it will be sometime this week. I have a couple plane flights to look forward to, so I'll be able to work then. I'm sorry to tease you with no Klaroline action so far, but I promise after this chapter there will be more. It's just how the story has played itself out as I've written it. Again, thank you thank you! Your words mean so much. As always, please review and enjoy! _

**Chapter 4**

It'd been a week since Klaus had found Caroline in New Orleans, but Caroline hadn't seen him since that day. She figured she should be grateful that Klaus wasn't drawing unnecessary attention to her by stopping by on a daily basis, but now that they were aware of each other's presence in the city, Caroline couldn't help hoping to see Klaus here and there. Rebekah came by during that time to see Sophie and pulled Caroline aside for a few moments before she left. "I want you to know I'm not pleased you're here. But for some ungodly reason, Nik's happier than I've seen him in centuries. Practically skipping about the house and it's bloody annoying. And Sophie trusts you, so I have to accept the fact that you're here to stay for the time being."

"Gee, thanks for that warm welcome and vote of confidence. I really missed you too, Rebekah." Caroline had had about enough of blonde Original, but she was Klaus's younger sister and a friend of Sophie's. It wouldn't do to get on her bad side, again.

"I'm just giving you my honest opinion. Since you are here though, I'm going to make an effort to include you in my social circles. I'm under orders from Nik to 'bring you into the fold naturally'. We'll start by casually going out for coffee and proceed from there. Tomorrow, 10 AM at Cafe du Monde. If you're going to live in New Orleans, you'll have to be introduced to the local flavor, starting with beignets."

"Just what I wanted to do with my Sunday morning, grab a coffee and doughnuts with you."

"First of all, a beignet is not a doughnut. You'll find yourself run out of town if you call it that again. Secondly, it's not my first choice either, but like I said, you're here now and Nik's happy about it. So deal with it."

"Fine!" Caroline waved her hands her front of her, accepting defeat, "I have one condition though."

"If it's got anything to do with staying away from Matt or Stefan, I can't accept."

"Get over yourself. No, that's not it. If we're going to do this, we've got to do it right. I want a fresh start. You and me, past forgiven. Although I'm still pissed at you for setting Tyler on us in the library, but I'm willing to forgive, forget, and move forward with everything else."

Rebekah looked at Caroline with narrowed eyes at this and waited a few moments before replying, "Agreed. I have a feeling the next couple of months are going to see some interesting occurrences happen."

And Rebekah held out her hand as a peace offering. Caroline took Rebekah's in hers and the two blonde vampires shook to a new beginning as Camille walked in.

"Oh good! You've met Rebekah! Rebekah's family knows New Orleans better than anyone I've ever met, except maybe Marcel. But you'll be well looked after going around with them. We should have a girl's night at some point now that we're all acquainted!"

Rebekah rolled her eyes (only Caroline saw) and turned to Caroline to mouth "We'll talk" before walking out of Deveraux's to leave Caroline and Camille to their work. The small dining room at _Deveraux's_ only sat about eighty patrons, not including the extra twenty that could sit at the bar, but set up for lunch and dinner took the two girls about an hour and a half each day. Dishes had to be unloaded and placed in their respective racks, silverware had to be set on each table and organized at the waitress's station, glasses had to be wiped down for use at the bar and the liquor had to be accounted for at the bar and in the small cellar underneath the restaurant. By the time this was all done, there was about thirty minutes to confer with Sophie about the menu specials for the day and then doors would open for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. The restaurant closed between 2:30 and 5:00 for clean up and prep for dinner the same day from 5:00 to 10:00 pm. The lunch crowd was lighter than the dinner crowd, so Caroline and Therese would switch morning shifts every other day.

When New Orleans would see an influx in tourists, Sophie would have the two girls working both shifts with increased hours until the population levels went down again. The restaurant was closed on Sundays and Wednesday nights for Sophie to buy groceries, prep, and give the staff one night off during the week. Caroline had grown used to her new schedule after two weeks and was happy for the set schedule she kept working under Sophie. Order still appealed to Caroline and while there were days when everything seemed to go wrong, Caroline could always count on the fact that the next day would see things settled once again. She went to bed tired, but pleased with her work for the day and woke up rejuvenated and excited for the new day ahead. Caroline loved the comings and goings of _Deveraux's_, she'd never met more interesting people in her life and she heard wonderful stories from patrons she connected with about the places they'd visited and their thoughts on New Orleans itself.

Caroline had only ever been exposed to many of these topics in history books and novels back in high school and college, and hearing about them through other's first hand experiences made Caroline realize how big the world really was. In moving to New Orleans, Caroline had been exposed to more in a short few weeks of her life than twenty-two years in Mystic Falls and Charlottesville. To actually have the opportunity to visit these places she only believed she'd ever read about in books made her excited for her immortal life ahead. She knew she was going to be in New Orleans for a few years at least, but after that the world was her oyster. As for whether or not someone would be by her side as she sought of these future adventures, Caroline wasn't sure yet. She knew she wanted Klaus at her side, but these next few years in New Orleans would help Caroline sort out where exactly she wanted Klaus in her life.

The next day dawned bright and beautiful, and Caroline sat up in bed and stretched her arms over her head before reaching over to her nightstand for her phone. She saw she had a text from Rebekah, probably checking in to make sure Caroline wouldn't ditch her on their coffee date. _No mention of little K or H today... Can't trust the ears around us. Delete this message too_. Caroline frowned slightly, but acquiesced to the order anyways. She figured it had a lot to do with Marcel's well-informed network around New Orleans and she could follow along to help keep Kol safe. She still only had the information Sophie had given her about the child, but likely in the coming weeks she would find out more about him. She tried to picture in her mind what he would look like, but images of a small boy who looked a lot like Hayley kept popping up. Even though Caroline wasn't angry about the affair anymore, the thought of Hayley still made her slightly uncomfortable.

After getting out of bed and dressing herself for the day, Caroline made her way over to Jackson Square where Cafe du Monde sat kitty corner to the square under a green and white striped awning. She found Rebekah at a table close to the edge of the patio and walked over to sit down with her. Caroline saw that Rebekah had already ordered a plate of beignets and two cafe au lait's for the two of them. "You're coming to dinner tonight," Rebekah said by way of greeting, "I figure it will make it a little easier for you and Nik to see one another, or at least casually run into each other, if people know you've met. And we always have family dinner on Sunday, which you now have a standing invitation to, so you will be expected from now on."

"Good morning to you too," Caroline said, "I don't have much choice for Sunday dinner do I?"

"No, you don't." Rebekah grinned cheekily.

Caroline smiled to herself and sighed at Rebekah's demands. At least that hadn't changed in five years. Even the most annoying of habits could be seen as a source of comfort if it was something one was accustomed to. Caroline drew her cafe au lait to her and reached over to pick up a beignet from the plate in the middle of the table. She took a bite and almost groaned aloud as she chewed on the fried dough smothered in powdered sugar. She looked up to see Rebekah laughing with delight, "It's good isn't it?"

"Good doesn't begin to describe what this is. How is this possible?'

"It's the magic of New Orleans. Everything here tastes better."

Caroline smiled and went to take a sip of her cafe au lait. The result this time wasn't quite the same as the beignet. "Ugh! What is in this coffee?!"

"Chicory. It's a Louisiana thing. You get used to it after a while and if you put a little sugar in it, the bitterness isn't as strong."

"I'll stick to my coffee sans chicory for a while, thanks." Caroline took another bite of the beignet to rid herself the bitterness in her mouth from the chicory.

"So, Rebekah, how've you been? Might as well catch one another up while we're here."

The rest of the morning passed quickly and Caroline found herself enjoying the time she spent with Rebekah. She found out that Rebekah had pretty much been in New Orleans since leaving Mystic Falls five years ago, and Caroline assumed the biggest reason was for little Kol. She attended classes at Tulane University here and there to pass some of her time, and had gone to visit Stefan once in New York. "He's happy it seems, but I keep inviting him to come down to New Orleans and visit me. He just laughs and says he had enough of New Orleans in the 40's and wants to stay north for a while. He said he was thinking about going around Europe for a bit."

"I know! We talked about going together, but our schedules never coordinated well enough, especially since I was so focused on getting through college. We keep in touch though and try to talk a few times every other month."

"He always passed along how you were doing. I think he knew Klaus was always looking for information about your well being."

Caroline blushed at the thought that Klaus would be concerned about her, but given what he said about waiting for her for an indefinite amount of time, she wasn't all that surprised by the news. "Speaking of Klaus, what did you mean by 'We'll talk' yesterday at Sophie's?"

"Oh that! Camille fancies herself infatuated with Nik and it's bloody annoying. I think the only reason she wants to hang out with me is that she thinks I'll put in a good word for her. Fat chance. For being a thoroughly insightful human being she's incredibly dense at times. She studies Psychology at Tulane and fancies herself the "be all end all' on the existence of evil. She's finally come around to the fact that vampires live and breath down the neck of the French Quarter, but still.

"And Nik's never given her any encouragement and she still throws herself at him. Mind you it's subtle, but I know flirtatious behavior when I see it. Hopefully she'll give up on him now that you're in town and she sees why he never paid her any attention."

Caroline couldn't continue her laughter during this rant and giggled incessantly at Rebekah's dislike of Deveraux's bartender. "She's been kind to me since I started working at Sophie's. I've never had a problem with her."

"You'll likely have one now. Just give it time or compel it out of her and things should will settle down."

"Does no one know about or use vervain here?"

"Marcel keeps a tight hold on the supply in town, so few people know about it. Works out for the vampires because we don't have to worry about it when we feed."

At the mention of feeding on humans, Caroline got a little uncomfortable. She still followed the blood bag and animal diet she'd taken on when she first turned, and Sophie had been kind enough to put in a fridge in her personal cellar filled with blood bags. At the look on Caroline's face, Rebekah quickly said, "Very few humans die in New Orleans. Marcel does try to keep a more harmonious existence between the two and there are 'feeding lounges' where one goes for blood. Marcel understands that if things were too out of control, no one would come to New Orleans and where would that leave him. These lounges have 'volunteers' of sorts and they make sure to keep everyone under control. Marcel usually kills the ones who get too violent."

While this didn't completely alleviate Caroline's discomfort, it made her feel slightly better that vampires didn't go around New Orleans causing death on the reg. She and Rebekah stayed and talked a little while longer before getting up and parting ways for the remainder of the day. On her way home, Caroline stopped in a small tourist shop to browse for something to send to her mother. She found a little snow globe with a tiny scene from the French Quarter in it and purchased the small gift. As she made her way back to Sophie's, a small smile crept on her face at the thought of seeing Klaus tonight.

As Caroline got dressed for dinner that night, she noticed herself taking a little extra care with regard to her dress and make-up. She'd texted Rebekah asking what time to show up and appropriate dress code, and Rebekah had responded with _Casual dress, but Elijah will be in a suit. As always. Ignore him. And come here at 4:30. It'll still be light out and you get can here without trouble from anyone_. When she was satisfied she met the casual stipulation, but also still looked put together, she went downstairs to head out the door. "Heading to the Mikaelson's for dinner tonight?"

Sophie had come out of the kitchen to see Caroline off for the night. Caroline could smell the spices from Sophie's gumbo and knew she was busy making a big batch for the week. "Yes, I'll be home early tonight. You don't have to wait up for me."

"Nonsense. To both of those claims. I'll wait up until I hear you come in the door. Just promise me you'll have Klaus or Elijah walk you home tonight." Sophie's tone and look on her face said she wouldn't take no for an answer.

Caroline smiled at Sophie's care, normally the witch didn't wear her emotions on her sleeve, "Yes, I will make sure one of them walks me home."

"Thank you. Have fun tonight."

Caroline gave Sophie a small wave and let herself out the door. Spring was coming to New Orleans and while the temperatures rarely dropped below the 40s, even in the dead of winter, there was a slight chill in the air as the sun set. Caroline wove her way through the groups of people on Bourbon Street, many of them making their way over to the restaurants and hotels on Chartres Street for the night. She smiled to herself as she walked down the street; she had a small sense of pride at the fact she was familiar with the layout of the French Quarter and could easily find her way about the historic town after only two weeks. It made her feel more comfortable in her surroundings. She turned up St. Ann Street and finally found her way to Burgundy Street. As she looked at the numbers on the houses, searching for the right one, a wave of nervousness broke over her. When she finally found the right house, her heart was beating wildly and her palms were slightly damp. The gray three story home didn't stand out amongst its fellow neighbors, but Caroline knew from experience the interior would put most houses to shame. She let herself through the iron gate with an "M" worked into the design and knocked on the dark mahogany colored door.

Klaus opened the door to find Caroline nervously standing on the front step. At the sight of him at the door, she smiled and Klaus felt the wind taken out of him. He always forgot what her smile could do to him. "When Rebekah told me she was inviting you to dinner I got angry at her for beating me to it."

Caroline laughed at his comment, "I don't think it's a big deal and besides, for now it looks better like this."

"You're probably right, but that still doesn't mean I didn't want to extend the invitation first. Come in, please. You're in for a lovely evening."


	5. Chapter 5

_Since I have been such a tease with Klaroline action, I decided to be generous and provide you with this. I think you'll enjoy it immensely. I know I keep saying I can't keep up with the posting I've set myself on, but I'm thoroughly enjoying writing this story and seeing your reactions. I just want to write and write and write. Please review and enjoy!_

**Chapter 5**

Klaus ushered Caroline through the front door of his home and closed the door behind them. When he turned back around into the foyer, he chuckled at the sight of Caroline standing in the middle of the foyer, eyes wide with delight. A long, narrow staircase hugged the left side of the hall leading up to the second story, while a long hallway on the right led into the back of the house. The floor was gray and white granite with a black border lining the edge of the room. The walls were painted a light gray with white wooden trim at the bottom. The wall on the right of the hallway was decorated with a scenery of elephants, camels, and tigers in a tropical jungle from a time long ago. A gorgeous, tiered copper chandelier hung from the ceiling giving the foyer a warm glow.

"Like what you see, love?"

"I thought your mansion in Mystic Falls was incredible, but this is something else entirely. I feel like I've been taken somewhere else in time. Tell me the rest of this place is equally as beautiful."

"I don't think there can be anything quite as beautiful as yourself, but let's take a look and you can decide on your own."

Caroline blushed at his words. She'd forgotten how freely he gave out compliments when they were together and the sensation in her stomach that came with each said compliment. Before, his compliments had made her both uneasy and flattered, she wasn't quite sure how to react to them. Now, she realized he had meant every word of flattery he'd spoken to her and she found herself waiting for the next one. They made their way down the hallway, settling into comfortable silence. Caroline noticed there had been a closed door immediately to her right as she had entered the house and a little further down, another door opened into a room. As they passed by, Caroline stuck her head in and gasped at the room within. A large double parlor took up the front two rooms of the house immediately to the right of the entrance hall. The walls in these rooms were painted a light mint green accented by a rich, golden-red hardwood floor. Two more crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings of both rooms and the French-style furniture was upholstered in light pastels and simple floral patterns. Paintings hung the wall at artistic intervals and Caroline noticed they matched the room exquisitely. "Yours, I assume?" Caroline asked, gesturing to the various frames.

"Of course. Would you expect anything less?" Klaus's grin stated he was pleased Caroline recognized the art for his own. "Come into the den. I'll get you a drink and you can relax."

Caroline followed Klaus through to the back of the house, passing through a small, intimate dining room. The den's style also followed the same French-classical theme, but the furniture was more inviting and less formal, with a large heather colored, heavy-duty cotton couch and a plush armchair. The doors of the den opened into a rectangular patio filled with small trees, plants, and flowers. Caroline could see through to the kitchen from the den. She looked around and saw Klaus standing in the doorframe, in his usual stance, looking almost anxious as she looked around his home. "It's smaller than the house we kept in Mystic Falls, but it suits our purposes. There's four bedrooms and Rebekah has the third floor entirely to herself and Elijah's room has it's own entrance from the garden. I have a studio off my bedroom on the second floor."

"It's beautiful. It suits you all to a T and blends in wonderfully with the French Quarter. I wouldn't expect anything less." Caroline's words were honest and true. She'd never seen a more beautiful home and she had to quickly squash the vision of herself living here, in case her color rose up again and Klaus asked her what she was thinking about.

At the obvious acceptance and approval of his home, Klaus visibly relaxed and walked further into the room to stand before her. Gods, she was beautiful, Klaus thought to himself, as he looked her up and down. Caroline was standing comfortably, legs apart and shifted to the left and her arms crossed casually across her body. Her hair was down to the her shoulders, falling in natural, light waves. And her eyes were looking up at his, sparkling with mischief and a small glimmer of happiness. It was the first time Klaus had seen an emotion other than confusion marring her blue eyes and gave his dead heart a lurch at the thought that she was pleased to see and be here with him.

He reached up hesitantly to push back a fall of hair that was obstructing the side of her face. She didn't pull back from his action, only tensed slightly at the contact of his hand on her hair. Klaus swept his fingertips lightly down the length of her hair, marveling at the softness of the strands. Caroline began nervously chewing on her bottom lip as the two of them stared at each other; Klaus's attention was drawn to said lip and soon all he was thinking about was cancelling dinner and taking Caroline somewhere private. He didn't want to share her with his own family tonight. The two of them had a lot of catching up to do. Just as Klaus was about to grab Caroline's hand and take her upstairs to his studio, Rebekah walked in.

"God Nik, you'd think you'd been deprived of blood the last five years with the way you're looking at Caroline right now. She's not on the menu this evening."

"Ah, but that's where you are wrong little sister. I have been deprived the last five years. Of Caroline's company, to be sure, but that's a long time to go without interaction with this fetching young lady. And who's to say she won't be on the menu in the future?" Klaus's smirk was both mischievous and delighted at his own wit.

Both Caroline and Rebekah gasped at his last remark, Rebekah looking revolted and Caroline blushing furiously. Caroline smacked his arm lightly, "Behave! Or I won't come over anymore and then you'd have to deal with Rebekah being pissed off at you."

"My little sister is usually displeased with me, it wouldn't be any different from the norm. But, I'll stop if it means you continue to join us."

"For all our sakes, please," Rebekah replied, "I'm not going to stomach dinner if you can't keep your googly eyes to yourself Nik."

"I never ogle at anyone."

"Look at yourself in the mirror tonight and then come back to me proving they aren't protruding out of your sockets."

"Rebekah, your snark is wearing my patience thin..."

"Ah, what would Sunday dinner be without the two of you biting each other's heads of?. Caroline, it's a pleasure to see you once again. I'm sorry you've been caught in the middle of my sibling's bickering."

Elijah had just walked into the den from the patio, dressed impeccably as always in a tailored suit. Caroline didn't know the oldest Mikaelson sibling very well, but she knew Elena and Stefan had always held him in high regard because of his moral compass. Caroline smiled as she responded, "It's lovely to see you again as well. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."

"As am I. Niklaus needs someone outside of his family to hold him to a higher standard. Now that we're all here, shall we eat?"

The four of them went into the dining room Caroline had walked through earlier and she wasn't surprised to see that it was as elegant as the rest of the house. A light cherry wood, oval table set for four stood in the center under a tear-drop, crystal chandelier. A matching dining buffet stood on the right wall across from one of Klaus's larger landscapes. The walls were painted a light, creamy beige and the bay window at the head of the room hung with coral drapes completed the picture. Caroline noticed the colors were warmer and lighter in this house versus the Mikaelson mansion back in Mystic Falls. "The house here seems a lot brighter than the one you had in Mystic Falls," she commented.

"Because of the closeness of the French Quarter, we'd be immersed in darkness if we didn't have these rooms painted this way," Rebekah explained. "The upstairs rooms are more similar to what you'd remember, but down here we needed to have some light. Klaus was all for dark and moody throughout the house, but as you can see, I won that argument."

"It certainly makes a difference." laughed Caroline, picturing the discussion in her head.

They sat down to eat, Klaus and Elijah at the respective heads of the table, Caroline and Rebekah between them on the sides. As soon as Caroline put her napkin in her lap, a young woman began placing plates of food on the table. A large roast, green beans, potatoes, sauces for dipping, and bread. Caroline's stomach growled at the smell of the food and picked up a familiar scent in a tall crystal jug on her right. She laughed at the sight of the blood in it's fancy presentation and glanced to her right at Klaus. "I don't think I've ever seen blood presented so nicely."

"Much nicer than drinking from a blood bag, I can promise you that."

Caroline chuckled and set about filling her plate and glass with helpings from every plate and jug. There was also a nice bottle of wine opened for Elijah, Rebekah, and Caroline to enjoy along with dinner; Klaus preferred to drink his scotch. Dinner was a relaxed and easy affair, despite the formal presentation, and Caroline found herself falling easily into stride with the Mikaelson family. Elijah asked her questions about Mystic Falls and her time spent at UVA, curious in her courses of study and life spent as a "normal" college student. She laughed when Rebekah scrunched her nose up at the process of rush and bantered with her lightly over the pros and cons of sorority life. Rebekah thought it was impossible for that many girls to pretend to get along with one another, while Caroline argued the networking benefits of a large organization and the bonds of sisterhood that form close friendships. All the while, Klaus sat silently at the head of the table, watching as Caroline interacted with his family.

It pleased him that she could fit so seamlessly with them, even after a five year separation. He could tell Elijah approved of her and even Rebekah was coming around. He idly swirled the contents of his glass around as he contemplated his state of emotions. He was happier than he'd been in ages and all of it was attributed to Caroline's arrival in New Orleans. Even though Klaus hadn't seen her in almost a week, he was giddy at the prospect of her being within the same vicinity once more. Dinner wound down and Klaus drank the last of the scotch in his glass before placing it on the table, pushing back his chair, and extending his hand to Caroline. "Come with me, love. There's something I'd like you to see."

Caroline blushed again, and threw a quelling look at Rebekah, who was trying hard not to smirk, as she placed her hand in Klaus's. Elijah gave his younger brother a small nod before Klaus drew her out of the dining room, into the foyer and up the stairs to the second story. They wound about the stairs and Klaus took her through the second door on Caroline's left. She breathed a sigh of relief at finding herself in Klaus's studio, but then remembered his earlier remark about said studio being off his bedroom. She looked around nervously and saw two closed doors, one on the wall to her right and one on the wall behind her. Caroline drew a deep breath and tried to focus on the room around her.

Rebekah had been right, the color scheme here was much more reminiscent of the darker theme used in the mansion in Mystic Falls. It was still lighter, but the walls were painted a mossy green and dark furniture accented the room. The room was dominated by a number of easels on which paintings in various states of completion stood. There was a large desk in the corner by the fireplace and doors leading out to the balcony, with stacks of sketchbooks and loose sheets of paper. Caroline looked around the room and remembered a conversation in a similar room from a long time ago.

_"Wait a second. Did... did you do these?"_

_"Yea, umm... actually one of my landscapes in hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice. Have you been?"_

_"I've never really been anywhere."_

_"I'll take you. Wherever you want... Rome... Paris... Tokyo."_

How far they'd come since that evening. Caroline briefly wondered what happened to the bracelet she threw heedlessly at Klaus's feet. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the snowflake painting that Klaus had put on display the night he killed Carol Lockwood. She quickly turned away from it and walked over to the desk where she began sifting through the loose sheets of paper. She gasped when she came to a drawing she knew particularly well. It was an exact copy of the small sketch Klaus had given her the night of the ball. She noticed there were several other small drawings of her faces in the same pile and Caroline gathered them up in a stack and turned to grin at Klaus. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

He smiled and looked guilty at being caught drawing her likeness. He walked over to where she stood and put his hand lightly at her waist to turn her back to the desk. Caroline felt the slight pressure of Klaus's hand over her entire body and trembled slightly at her sensitivity to his touch. Keeping his hand at her waist, he reached over to grab a small journal in the corner and handed it to her wordlessly. The smile on his face was gone and he looked as though he was battling himself on his decision. Caroline could only guess what the notebook contained. She opened the journal and turned the pages slowly.

On every page was a small sketch of a young boy, from infanthood to what Caroline assumed to be his current age. The child was beautiful. He looked exactly like Klaus, there was no trace of Hayley in him and Caroline turned the pages fascinated. She noticed that Klaus had only drawn little Kol, Hayley wasn't present anywhere in the sketches. She looked up at him and saw his eyes were apprehensive; Klaus was certain she would become angry at evidence of his and Hayley's union. Caroline closed the journal and laid a soft hand on his shoulder, "He's beautiful. Sophie was right, he is a gift. I would love to be able to meet him. You must be very proud."

Klaus sigh was heavy with relief. "I am. He's quite the handful at times, but he's adored by everyone. Rebekah spoils him mercilessly. And he's changed me."

"I can see that. You're less... I don't know. But you're less something and it's good. Really good, Klaus. I'm happy he's brought something good into your life."

"You've brought more good back into my life since coming here," Klaus said softly. At this, he brought his other hand up to rest on the other side of Caroline's waist and drew her a little closer to him. Caroline could feel his warmth enveloping her and she felt her heart tripping over itself with joy at the feel of Klaus's arms around her.

This was where she wanted to be for the last five years.

"We need to take it slow," Caroline whispered as Klaus's head began to drop toward hers.

"I know." He said as he brushed the lightest of kisses on Caroline's lips.

Caroline sighed at the contact and her hand, which had still been resting on Klaus's shoulder, moved up to clasp his neck. She pulled him in and began moving her lips softly over his. It was pure magic. The electric current which had flowed between them in Mystic Falls only intensified with physical contact and Caroline wondered how she could have almost let this go. Klaus pulled her flush against him and deepened the kiss between them. Caroline felt her knees go weak and wrapped her other arm around Klaus to steady herself as they wove a tighter web around themselves. Klaus was ecstatic. After years of flattery, wishing, and waiting, Caroline Forbes was finally in his arms. He brought one of his hands up to cradle her face and eased her back to the desk behind her, steadying her as he continued to kiss her.

Finally, or too soon in Klaus's mind, they eased apart and looked in each other's eyes. Caroline's eyes were dancing and the smallest of smiles was on her lips. She giggled and not seeming to be able to help herself, reached back up and laid another soft, sweet kiss on Klaus. Klaus smirked and pulled her into arms, resting his head on top of hers. Caroline wrapped her arms around Klaus's waist and burrowed her face into his shoulder, surrounding her senses with his scent and touch.

Everything felt so right. And then, reality set back in.

"I have to go," Caroline whispered against Klaus's chest, "I'm working the double shift tomorrow and I don't want to be tired."

Klaus sighed and kissed the top of her head before responding, "I know. I'll walk you home. I wish you could stay."

"Slow, Klaus." Caroline reminded him with a small smile. "And Sophie will be pleased, she didn't want me to walk home alone tonight."

"As she shouldn't. At least, not yet."

Klaus dropped one more kiss on Caroline before taking her hand and leading her down the stairs, waving goodbye to Rebekah and Elijah, and walking out the front door.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thank you so much for all your positive feedback on my last chapter! It was truly wonderful to see that you enjoyed it a lot. I'm sorry for taking some time for this chapter. This one took me some time to write. I want to take the time to write this story, which means there will be lots of chapters as I want things to flow a certain way. I hope you continue to read and enjoy it as I have! Review and enjoy!_

**Chapter 6**

The air between them was electric as they walked along the darkened streets of the French Quarter. Klaus wanted desperately to take her hand in his, or wrap his arm around her, but he knew it wasn't safe yet to mark his territory. It was maddening, knowing that Caroline was finally his but he had to play the charade for a little while longer. Marcel couldn't know the effect Caroline had on him or that she had followed him from Mystic Falls. Klaus sighed and looked over at Caroline as they walked side by side. The moonlight made her look almost ethereal and Klaus felt he had to keep pinching himself to make sure none of it was a dream. As if Caroline could sense Klaus's gaze on her, she looked up and smiled softly at him. "I know. Me too."

Four little words, and yet they conveyed the same longing Klaus had at this moment. Soon, he thought to himself. They turned down Bourbon Street and where almost to the door of Deveraux's when someone called out, "Klaus!'

Klaus stiffened instantly. He had hoped to have more time than this, but it was inevitably going to happen sooner or later. Caroline looked up at Klaus, she could see the tension in his shoulders and concern was etched on her face. He mouthed Marcel and Caroline's eyes widened in comprehension. She nodded subtly, as if to say, "I've got this, I'll be fine." Klaus let some of the tension out of his shoulders, but now more than ever, he wished he could drag Caroline to his side. They turned around to watch Marcel walk his way toward them, two more vampires behind him. As he drew closer to them, Caroline let out an inaudible gasp of surprise. It was the man she had stumbled into her first day in New Orleans.

"Klaus, nice to see you out tonight. Although I'm surprised. I thought Sunday was usually a night reserved for family."

Caroline involuntarily shivered at the sound of Marcel's voice. She could hear the interest in it, and underneath it all, a dangerous edge.

"Normally, yes. However, Rebekah has a friend in town and I offered to walk her home seeing as she's not quite familiar with New Orleans yet." Klaus tilted his head to indicate Caroline.

Marcel turned to look at Caroline for the first time. She knew he recognized her by the slow smile that spread across his face. "Ah, yes. I seem to have run into you on your first day in town. You haven't stumbled into anymore people since your arrival, I hope? I'm Marcel and it's very nice to meet you."

He held out his hand and Caroline slowly placed her own in his. She had to summon up all her Miss Mystic Falls training to say evenly, "Caroline. Nice to meet you too."

Marcel bowed low over her hand and raised his head after a pause. But he didn't let go of Caroline's hand. "I see we have something in common. How it is that you know Rebekah Mikaelson?"

Caroline's eyes jerked down to their clasped hands and she saw that her daylight ring was pressed into Marcel's palm. So much for that secret, she thought to herself. "A mutual friend. We'd never met before my coming to New Orleans, but I was passing through and I was told to reach out and find her. It's a perk of traveling these days."

Marcel's eyes slowly looked her over and Caroline held her breath until she could see he'd accepted what she had to say. At least for now, she and Klaus were still safe. Marcel finally released her hand and Caroline had to force herself withdraw it at a normal speed. "I hope you enjoy your time in New Orleans. Will you be around for long?"

"I'm not sure at the moment. I like it here so far though, so we'll see where life takes me."

"I trust you've found some comfortable accommodations?" His tone was even, but Caroline could see he was testing her. She knew he knew she was working and living at Deveraux's.

"Yes. I happened to get lucky and find a place with both work and board on my first day. It so happened Rebekah also knew Sophie. Found that out within a thirty-six hour period. The world is so small these days."

Caroline could see that her answers unsettled Marcel. It seemed he had been looking for something more and was disappointed when he couldn't find it. Nonetheless, Marcel appeared satisfied with her answers and dropped the subject. He turned back to Klaus. "I hope you'll join me for lunch tomorrow, old friend. I feel like you've been closeted up with your family this past week."

"I have and I will be sure to join you. Same place?"

"Does it ever change?"

Klaus smiled and shook his head. And with that, Marcel continued his way down Bourbon Street. Caroline and Klaus watched him walk until he turned down one of the many streets intersecting Bourbon before rushing to get inside Deveraux's. As soon as they gained entrance, Caroline let out a huge sigh of relief. "So that's Marcel? I should have known the creepy dude I ran into my first day was him."

Klaus was visibly tense and Caroline could see he was trying hard to contain his anger at the encounter with Marcel. His fists were clenched behind his back as he paced around the room. "Every fiber of my being is telling me that you need to leave New Orleans right now. The so-called action in Mystic Falls looks like child's play compared to what's here. Especially where Marcel's concerned."

Caroline frowned at Klaus's words and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not going anywhere. I knew what was here when I made my decision. I can take care of myself."

"Marcel has a least a hundred years on you, not to mention the entire vampire population within the city limits adhering to his every command. Tell me, where do you have the advantage?"

"I have you."

"Touching as that is, sweetheart, I'm one amongst hundreds." Klaus stopped his pacing briefly to look at her. "There's already too much on the line."

Caroline threw her hands up in the air and marched over to Klaus to grab his face between her hands. "Stop trying to push me away. I did enough of that for the past five years. I'm here and you need me."

"She's right."

Klaus and Caroline spun around at the sound of Sophie's voice. She had heard them enter and the resulting discussion. "You're far better with her here and it's one more person for our cause. You know I won't allow anything to happen to her under my roof."

"It's not the things I'm aware of that concern me, it's the things that can happen outside of the boundaries she has with you and myself."

"Well, you can't keep her in a gilded cage, Klaus. Trust her. I think she knows her own instincts fairly well by now."

Klaus glared at Sophie for a good minute before turning to Caroline and dropping a kiss on her cheek. As he exited, Caroline heard him say, "Your heart is mine if anything happens to her."

Sophie grimaced and looked at Caroline. She shook her head saying, "He's not comfortable with expressing his feelings yet."

Caroline laughed and rolled her eyes. "That much hasn't changed and I don't think it ever will. I know it's coming from a good place though."

"That much is sure. How was dinner?"

"Good," Caroline struggled to keep the blush off her face. "It was nice to hang out with his family in that sense."

"I'd say it was more than good."

Caroline laughed and gave Sophie as small smile. The young witch smiled back and placed a reassuring hand on Caroline's arm. "You did the right thing, don't doubt that."

With a gentle squeeze, Sophie withdrew her hand and went back upstairs. Caroline smiled at Sophie's retreating back and took out her phone. She dialed a familiar number, but it went straight to voicemail. You could always count on Sheriff Forbes to be on the job.

"Hi, Mom. I just wanted to call you and say hi. I'm fine. New Orleans is wonderful. Let me know when you get the package I'm sending you. I've found Klaus and things are good. Great, actually. He's changed. Maybe we'll be able to come see you soon and you can see for yourself. I miss you and I love you, Mom. Goodnight."

"Marcel knows about Caroline."

Klaus had rushed home as fast as he could after leaving Caroline at Sophie's. He wasn't used to feeling this overly protective about anyone. Granted, he'd had some practice with regards to little Kol, but outside of familial bonds? Even back in Mystic Falls, Klaus hadn't put Caroline's safety at the forefront of his priorities. He was always concerned whenever she was involved, but her friends had always been a safety net and he was allowed to concentrate on more pressing matters, like running Tyler out of town. Now, he alone was responsible for her safekeeping and wellbeing. He thanked the gods Caroline had stumbled upon Sophie; he would have placed her there himself if she hadn't. He ran his fingers through his hair forcibly and stared unseeingly at a spot on the wall in the den. Rebekah was sitting on the couch, sorting through her magazine collection, throwing out old issues.

"We knew it was going to happen sooner or later. It's not like we can keep Caroline's existence secret forever. She's already well known as the 'pretty, new, blonde at Deveraux's'. Did you really think people would go about as if nothing changed? Nik, you know how small New Orleans is."

"I know, I know! I didn't anticipate my reaction to Marcel knowing about her."

"Well, we finally get some honesty on your part. And an emotion that isn't broody or pissed. She's got three Original vampires looking out for her. How bad can it be?"

Klaus threw his sister a look that would have made lesser beings fear for their lives, but Rebekah just looked back and raised her eyebrow at him. "Nik. Caroline will be fine. I plan on getting her to come out with me when she has free time. Besides, she's so busy at Deveraux's she doesn't have much in the way of free time. And Sophie's sharper than most. You said so yourself."

Rebekah got up and laid a hand on her brother, "It's nice to see you care for someone other than yourself these days."

And she left Klaus to brood in his own tumultuous thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thank you again for all your kind words! It makes me so happy to know you enjoy my story. Please bear with me the next couple chapters, I'm trying to anticipate/think out the build-up of the plot line and it'll take me time to work through it. In the meantime... Enjoy! And please review!_

**Chapter 7**

The next week passed without any more Marcel run ins, but Caroline couldn't help but feel that Marcel was somehow keeping a close eye her. She didn't see the self-declared king himself, but she noticed two of his lackeys stopping by _Deveraux's_ more frequently. Thankfully, Rebekah had taken to coming in on an almost daily basis. "It's not like I've got anything better to do. And besides, Sophie's go the best gumbo in the French Quarter."

Caroline looked at Rebekah pointedly. Not that she didn't enjoy the company on a daily basis, but she didn't want Rebekah (or Klaus) thinking she needed a bodyguard. "I swear Nik didn't put me up to it!" she said defensively, with her hands in the air. "You're one of the first girlfriends I've had in a long time. Which reminds me, girls night. Wednesday. It's time we introduce you to New Orleans nightlife. Cami, you in?"

Camille looked up from the other end of the bar where she was wiping down glasses. "Yes, and Bekah's right. New Orleans has a flair of it's own."

Rebekah smiled at Caroline. "It's decided. Wednesday. Tell Therese she's invited as well."

Caroline resigned herself to the fact that she was going along with Rebekah's planned "girls' night". She was happy that she and the female Original were getting along though. They'd never seen eye to eye back in Mystic Falls, mostly because Rebekah had been jealous of Caroline's popularity. In a million years, Caroline would never have predicted that she and Rebekah would be remotely close friends, but when your options were limited, you took what was there. And Caroline was grateful for Rebekah's companionship. She liked Camille and Therese well enough, but both of them were human and Therese had no idea of the supernatural world around her. With Rebekah, she had someone to relate to on more than just a girl level.

Klaus came by the next day to see Caroline during the break between lunch and dinner. "I hear my little sister has once again stolen your affections from me."

"That's unlikely," Caroline laughed, "More like she's demanded and issued orders for a girls' night tomorrow evening. I can't say no."

"And if I happen to meet up with you at the end of the evening?"

"I'm not getting myself involved."

Caroline smiled at Klaus and moved to the waitresses' station to start organizing the silverware and napkins for use later that night. Suddenly, Caroline's back was pressed up against the counter and Klaus was standing directly in front of her, his arms circled around her lower waist. His smirk was on his face and he looked quite pleased with himself for catching Caroline off guard. She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on his chest to push him off, but that only made Klaus tighten his hold on her. She laughed as she continued to push against him.

"You're distracting me. How am I supposed to get this place ready if you're going to be like this?"

"And I want more of you." Klaus's eyes darkened with his words.

"Whatever happened to slow?"

"I'm entranced by you. You've held my attention for longer than five years almost and now that I have you to myself, I can't seem to get enough."

Caroline stopped struggling. She moved her arms up to wrap around Klaus's neck. She leaned up, tilted her head, and was a breath away from Klaus's lips when she whispered, "Slow."

And sank back to her heels.

Klaus growled and yanked her up against him. His lips came swiftly down on her and Caroline had flash of annoyance before thinking, Oh, what the hell. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed kissing Klaus immensely. It sang to her soul and she was addicted to the emotions that Klaus stirred in her. Just as they were about to lose themselves completely to the kiss, they heard a crash in the dining room. They broke apart abruptly to find Camille standing in the middle of the room, the contents of her purse scattered across the floor. She looked as though someone had punched her in the stomach.

"I didn't know you two knew each other," she said rather coldly.

"I've known Caroline a long time." Klaus said simply.

"Oh, I see."

Caroline was mortified. She knew from Sophie that Camille harbored feelings for Klaus and she had hoped they could avoid a confrontation like this. Caroline remembered how it felt in high school to be passed over by the guy you liked. She groaned to herself at the thought of the awkward tension between the two of them at work. "I think I'd better leave."

Caroline had almost forgotten Klaus was there. She nodded her head and watched him walk out of the room. After he left, she turned to Camille, who was looking pointedly at a spot on the wall above the bar. Caroline hated drama of any kind; she'd dealt with enough of it through high school and college. But, it was inevitable in situations like this.

"Camille?"

The bartender finally looked down from the wall.

"Look, I'm not mad at you for being with Klaus. Well, yes I am, but that's not the point." Camille took a deep breath, as though to steady herself before continuing, "I know what Klaus and you are, along with Marcel and his minions. You can't have hung around the French Quarter for as long as I have and not know what's going on. I know Sophie's a witch, not a fake one like many claim to be in this city, but a real one. And I know that Hayley is also involved in this somehow as well, but I haven't seen her around in a few years.

"I'm a psychology major, Caroline. I've been studying how to read and understand people for almost five years. Yes, I'm interested in Klaus, but that doesn't mean I can't tell when a guy isn't reciprocating. I could also sense there was someone else. I held out hope that whoever Klaus was waiting for would never come and he would one day come around to me. Even when I found out what he was I still had hope. I knew I would continue to age, but that didn't bother me. But I can see how that's futile. In the past three weeks you've been here, he's been different. And I'd wondered why, but now I know. How old are you really?"

"Seventeen."

Camille's face fell a little more. "And that's how you'll remain forever. Back to my point, though. I'm not angry about the two of you, I'm angry at being duped. You, Rebekah, Klaus, and I'm assuming Elijah, all clearly have known one another for some time. And I'm fairly certain Sophie's in on the secret too. This charade you and Rebekah have been playing? You can stop that now."

"Camille, there was a reason for it. Sophie felt it would be better for me if it looked like no one knew me." Caroline hoped Camille could see the reason in this.

"I've worked here for five years, Caroline. Sophie knows me better than most and I thought Rebekah and I were friends too. I don't like Marcel any more than the rest of you, if he's the reason you've put up this charade, and I certainly have never given anyone reason not to trust me. So forgive me if I can't accept your excuse. Do you know how it feels to be duped by the people you trust?"

Caroline's face fell at that. "Yes, I do. When the vampires first came back to Mystic Falls, I was compelled to basically be a blood bag for a person I liked a lot and thought I could trust. Not so much. After I became a vampire, my father tortured me because of what I was. I thought I could trust him with my secret. He pretended to accept me, only to turn around and try to "take the vampire out of me", so to speak. He took off my daylight ring, exposed me to sunlight, forced vervain on me, and starved me. My own father. So yes, Camille, I know how you feel. And I'm sorry this had to happen this way."

Camille's eyes were wide as she tried to process Caroline's story. Then, her eyes narrowed again, "That still doesn't excuse…."

"Enough!"

Camille and Caroline spun around at the sound of Sophie's voice. The witch was standing in the door frame separating dining room from kitchen, with her arms crossed over chests and a look to send most people running. "Camille, if you want to be angry at anyone, be angry with me. It was my choice not to tell you, not because I didn't trust you, but because I was trying to protect you. You know I never wanted you involved in all this."

"Sophie, it's impossible not to be!"

"I know that. And when you became involved I resolved myself to protect you more. You're human, Camille, and have little protection against Marcel other than what I can give you and ignorance. The less people know about Caroline's connection to the Mikaelson family, the less Marcel can use that information against us. You know the tension between Marcel and Klaus right now. You know Marcel will use anything at his disposal if he thinks it will give him the slightest advantage. I know you're hurt, but believe me when I say I was only protecting you by keeping this from you. The less information you had, the less likely Marcel will seek you out."

Sophie went over to Camille at this and put her arms around her. "No one else needs to die in this fight."

Camille slowly nodded her head and wrapped her arms around Sophie too. Neither said a word as they embraced and they came apart after a few moments. Sophie held Camille's hands in her own and smiled at her. "Now, we have lots to do before dinner tonight."

Camille smiled and nodded and went to put her things in the back room. Sophie sighed heavily and turned to Caroline, "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. She'll be ok. She just sometimes doesn't understand what she's dealing with still."

"I know. I remember being human around vampires. You think you know, but it's nothing you ever expected."

Sophie nodded and touched Caroline's arm briefly before heading back into the kitchen. The rest of the night passed without issue and before Camille left for the night, she pulled Caroline aside. "I'm sorry. It was a stupid way to react. I was just hurt and being left out of the know."

"I get it. Really. I would have felt the same. And there's nothing to be sorry for."

Camille smiled, "I want us to be friends. I really like you and I'm glad you're here. And I'm glad Klaus has someone like you. He needs you. And I'll keep your secret. So you don't have to pretend around me anymore."

Caroline hugged Camille and the girls parted for the night as friends. She made her way upstairs to her room, ready to pass out for the night. She opened her door and jumped back in surprise. Klaus was standing at her window, one arm pressed on the sill to balance himself, as he looked out, presumably deep in thought. "I don't recall extending an invitation to you this evening."

Klaus turned around, a smile on his face, at the sound of her voice. "I wanted to make sure you and Camille survived the night in one piece, love. It seems I had nothing to worry about. You're whole and hearty."

"Yes, Sophie intervened and smoothed everything over. She knows everything and is accepting of it. We're still on friendly terms with each other."

"Lovely. So that means I don't have to worry about Camille mooning over me for the rest of time?"

"Klaus!"

He smiled and walked over to stand in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her and dropped a small kiss on her lips. "You're enchanting when you feign annoyance with me. You try so hard to keep a straight face, but I can see a smile threatening to burst."

Caroline laughed. She wrapped her arms around Klaus and pressed her lips up to his. "Your comment about Camille wasn't necessary, but I'll let it slide. Now, I need to go to sleep."

"Ah, but if I recall you have the morning off tomorrow."

"Yes, but I was hoping to run some errands before I had to come in for the dinner shift."

"Which I can help you with. Now, that's settled."

Klaus swung her up on his shoulder and turned around the deposit her on the bed. He moved so quickly, Caroline barely had a chance to catch her breath before Klaus was on top of her and he was kissing her as though his life depended on it. She sighed into the kiss and let the inevitable happen. Oh, she wasn't about to let Klaus completely have his way with her, but she could allow herself some excitement tonight. Besides, who was she to argue when Klaus was turning her stomach into wonderful little knots as his lips moved over hers and his hands ran up and down her sides and arms. Caroline lifted her hand to Klaus's face and pulled him deeper into their kiss. She lost herself for a few minutes, before turning her head to the side. Klaus didn't stop kissing her and only moved his attentions to Caroline's neck. She barely suppressed a shiver as he found a sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulders.

"I'm completely nuts to allow this, but you can stay here tonight. As long as no funny business happens!"

Klaus lifted his head from his pursuit of Caroline's neck and looked at her. "Are you sure?"

Caroline shrugged as best she could, "Why not? How did you get up here anyways?"

"I snuck in while you were cleaning. I am fairly certain Sophie saw me, but she didn't kick me out when she came up."

"Good to know I have an open invitation for sleepovers from Sophie."

"As long as said invitations are only extended to me."

"Really, Klaus. As if you'd let me meet anyone else. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to get ready for bed."

Klaus rolled over to let Caroline move up from the bed and grab her PJ's from the chair next to the dresser. She went into the bathroom and went through her nightly routine of washing her face and brushing her teeth. She wasn't entirely sure if brushing her teeth was necessary anymore, but old habits die hard. Caroline's heart was racing at the prospect of Klaus sleeping over, but she also felt safer at the thought of him next to her all night. She quietly laughed at the thought of Klaus sleeping; it never occurred to her that the Original big bad needed sleep and rest like the rest of them. She quickly finished and changed into her PJ's, an old Mystic Falls High Cheer t-shirt and cotton shorts. Suddenly self-conscious of the fact she was in her ratty sleeping clothes, Caroline took a deep breath before heading back to her room.

Klaus had made himself comfortable in the time Caroline was in the bathroom. His clothes hung on the chair where Caroline's PJ's had previously been and he was underneath the covers of the bed. Caroline raised an eyebrow at his prone position on the bed. "You certainly didn't waste time making yourself at home."

Klaus smirked, "Well, if I am going to stay here I might as well be comfortable. You know, my house certainly lends more to the atmosphere."

"And what atmosphere is that?" Caroline laughed, "Nothing's happening and I'm going to sleep. No funny business remember?"

He laughed and showed his acceptance by lifting the covers, effectively showing Caroline he'd kept his boxers on. She shook her head, smiled, and crawled into bed. After settling the covers around her, she scooted over to Klaus and laid her head on his chest. He in turn wrapped his arms around her and settled himself in her bed. Caroline lifted her head and moved herself just enough to give Klaus a soft kiss, "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too."


	8. Chapter 8

_**I know... I know. It's been WAY too long since I last updated. I'm so sorry. I just got swamped with work, life, the start of summer, etc. and the time flew by me! Also, I had a lot of difficulty writing this chapter. I just kept getting stuck and frustrated, because I see where I want to take this, but I have to plod through these chapters first before I can do anything else. I hope you understand. Anyways, you've all been extremely patient and supportive of my story thus far, so this is for you. It's a little longer than previous chapters, partially because I want to get the good stuff faster and I didn't update for the longest time. Enjoy as always! And please continue to review!**_

**Chapter 8**

The next morning dawned and Caroline found herself wrapped in Klaus's arms in the same position she'd fallen asleep in. She laughed lightly to herself at the thought that if she'd fallen asleep like that as a human, she'd had a stiff neck and likely wouldn't have slept. _The perks of being a vampire_, she thought to herself. She pushed herself slightly up off Klaus and looked down at his face. It was easy to forget that Klaus was the world's most notorious villain when he slept. His face was calm and he looked youngers without the intensity that usually dominated his expressions. Caroline began delicately tracing his features as he slept; she'd never had free reign to touch him, unless you counted the time she tried to dislodge an invisible white oak stake in his back. She traced her way down to the tattoo inked on his left bicep. Caroline had seen the small triangle on his right shoulder blade, but she'd never had the opportunity to look at this one. It was the outline of a feather, but about halfway up the feather started to disperse into the outline of a flock of crows which stopped just above his dead heart.

Caroline wondered at the significance of it as she continued to trace it. Suddenly, a hand covered her and Caroline looked up to see Klaus wide awake, a small smile on his face. "You know what just occurred to me?"

"What?"

"It's Wednesday and by my recollection, Sophie is closed Wednesday nights."

Caroline almost smacked herself for forgetting she didn't have to work tonight. It also meant Rebekah's girls' night was this evening. "With everything going on with Camille yesterday it completely slipped my mind."

"I assumed so. Well, that means your day has just freed up nicely and seeing as how you've yet to see New Orleans as a whole, allow me to escort you on a private tour of New Orleans' finest."

"What makes you think I'll say yes?"

Klaus smiled at her teasing tone. Before she could do anything, Klaus had her underneath him in the bed and was working his way back to the sensitive spot on the side of her neck before answering, "Because you want to."

Caroline wasn't exactly sure what they were referring to at this point, but she couldn't deny that Klaus kissing her neck was supremely distracting. "Ok, I need you to stop being Cassanova for about an hour. This girl needs to get ready, which won't happen if you keep distracting me."

"I prefer to call it mutual exploration."

Caroline laughed and gently pushed Klaus off her. He got the hint and pulled his clothes on to head out. Before he left, Klaus grabbed Caroline lightly and pulled her close to him. He gently cradled her face in his hand and looked at her with such emotion that Caroline wondered how she didn't melt into a puddle at his feet. He smiled down at her and gave her a brief kiss before leaving her room and the building. Caroline stood in the middle of her room, arms crossed, a hand over her lips and a smile on her face. It was hard to put the Klaus she knew in Mystic Falls into the mold she was starting to know in New Orleans. They were both vastly different and yet very much the same person. Klaus still thrived on power and the need for it, but there was a vulnerability to him that had never been there before. Caroline suspected some of it had to do with little Kol and she hoped some of it was brought about by her presence in New Orleans. She liked both versions of him, but the present one was someone Caroline could see herself with

However, there was a reason she wanted to wait. She wouldn't deny the feelings she had for Klaus; those were very real and to finally admit to them was like finally breathing feely. But, it also meant exposing herself to one of the world's oldest and dangerous vampires, who also happened to be half werewolf. It was self preservation on her part; she'd been kidnapped and tortured enough back in Mystic Falls, both at the hands of Klaus and others, to know when to proceed with caution. And it was hard to know if the present Klaus was going to stay around or if it was just a honeymoon period of Caroline finally coming to New Orleans. She remembered a conversation with Elena shortly before Caroline had made her decision to come to New Orleans.

Elena had gone to local Whitmore College after graduation, starting during the spring semester. Caroline had gone to visit multiple times during the course of her four years at UVA and the friendship between the two girls had only grown closer. Damon stayed in Mystic Falls, mostly to keep on eye on the supernatural activity with Sheriff Forbes, but the two of them found time between Elena's class schedule to see one other often enough. Discussions of the future typically came up and Elena often hinted it would be good for Caroline to go and explore New Orleans.

_"You've never been outside of Virginia," Elena remarked as the girls sat on the floor of Elena's dorm room, drinking blood bags, "And Klaus has basically given you an open invitation for a tour of the world, starting with New Orleans."_

_"How can you just say that like he hasn't caused us all so much hurt and pain?"_

_Elena shrugged as she continued to sip on her blood bag, "I used to think Damon was a horrible person, but he's ended up being the best thing to happen to me. I think the people who are capable of doing horrific things are also capable of great love. Damon's got his rough spots, but at the end of the day, he loves me in a way I've never been loved before and would do anything for me. I think Klaus could be the same way."_

_Caroline shook her head fiercely. "No, there's no way. And Klaus is different from Damon."_

_"How so?"_

_Caroline's face scrunched up as she tried to think of ways in which Klaus differed (from anyone at this point!) from the love of Elena's life._

_"See!" Elena laughed, "You can't even think of one!"_

_"Yes! I can! Who else do we know that will resort to any means to assert their dominance?"_

_Elena pointedly looked at Caroline._

_"ME?!"_

_"Care, I love you. But when you got into your 'Queen-Bee-head-cheerleader-prom- committee-head-Miss-Mystic-Falls mode, you could be pretty ruthless if anyone tried to take any of it away from you."_

_"But I never killed anyone over it!"_

_"You were a millisecond away from ripping Rebekah's head off over the whole Decades Dance." Elena squeezed her pointer and thumb as she stated this._

_"For obvious reasons! The girl is a complete psychopath! The dance wasn't even that fun anyways! That doesn't count."_

_"It does, you just won't admit it."_

_"Humph!" Caroline crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, "Back to the real point of the conversation, who else do we know who's completely selfish and kills people for his own enjoyment?"_

_"Damon."_

_Caroline rolled her eyes and threw herself into the pile of pillows next to her._

_"You know, Care," Elena said quietly, "It wouldn't bother you so much if you didn't have any feelings for him."_

_"That's just it!" Caroline threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, "He's worked his smarmy way into my head and now he won't leave! And I won't let myself let him leave! I've had this internal battle for the past four years trying to figure out if a bajillion year old Original HYRBID, with a larger killing streak than the worst serial killer out there, is worth it at all. The part that's let him in says he is, but how is it rational to let someone that dangerous completely take over my heart and reasoning?"_

_"You can't know," Elena said simply, "You just have to trust your heart. I stand by my statement that Klaus is capable of great love."_

_"Klaus is not Damon." Caroline sighed._

_"Thank god for that, I don't think this world can handle two Damon's."_

_At that Caroline burst into a fit of giggles at the thought of two Damon's roaming the globe. Elena joined in and the two girls giggled themselves hoarse before Caroline stared out the window with a lost look on her face. "The only way I'll know is if I find out. And I shouldn't lie to myself anymore. I don't know why, but I can't help but FEEL something for him. It's not making me want to vomit either."_

_"That's your conscious finally relieving in the acknowledgement that you are in fact, in love with Klaus."_

_Caroline smacked Elena with a pillow, "Not in love, you goose. In fascination, admiration... I don't know! Lust is probably thrown in that mix too!"_

_"So you admit it!" Elena squealed, "Caroline Forbes wants the Original Big Bad to ruffle her feathers!"_

_"The last time you said that I snapped your neck."_

_"Yea, but I was a ruthless bitch then," Elena responded flippantly, "I deserved that. I'm rejoicing at your admission. Finally, I might add."_

_"How can you just accept him like that so easily?"_

_Elena looked at her friend thoughtfully, "I guess Damon proved to me that you can change, even if you had a bad streak going for you. And we've talked about it from time to time. If Klaus was willing to let Tyler go for you and wait for you, we figured there was some good to him. And Damon mentioned a conversation he had with Klaus when we were trying to keep Damon from killing Jeremy, where Klaus asked Damon something like, 'How do you make her care even after all you've done?' Damon figured out he was talking about you and said he told Klaus to be bad with purpose. Damon's convinced Klaus took it to heart, since we didn't see a lot of senseless slaughter after the Mayor's death. I think he subtly came over to our side after that. Especially after he almost killed you the second time and you basically called him out on his feelings for you."_

_Caroline sighed heavily and looked out the window. It was early May in Virginia and soon they'd be donning caps and gowns again to receive their Bachelor's degrees; another milestone passed in life. Elena was right. She couldn't know what would happen, but she had to trust she was making the right choice by her._

Caroline smiled at the memory of her conversation with her best friend. If only Elena could see her now. She'd be immensely pleased at the sight of her friend happily settled in New Orleans. Caroline made a mental to call Elena sometime in the next couple days and update her on her new life. She showered and dressed and went downstairs to find Sophie bringing in her groceries for the week. Caroline went over and helped the witch bring the last bags in from the back alley. Sniffing through the bags, she picked up a scent she hadn't placed in a long time. She reached in and immediately pulled her hand out. A small burn was already healing itself on her right index finger. "Careful! I have vervain in there!"

"Found that out the hard way." Caroline said sarcastically.

"I know you have a better sense of smell than most people, couldn't you smell it?" Sophie looked incredulously at Caroline.

"I wasn't sure... It's been awhile since I've been around vervain. Where'd you get it? I thought Marcel kept it on lockdown here."

"He does, but I've had a source who's been helping me stockpile for some time. I keep it under the private basement. You never know when you're going to need it. I've had both Camille and Therese on my vervain tea blend for years. Camille now knows it's purpose, but Therese still thinks it's my house made blend."

Caroline nodded and left that particular bag for Sophie to unpack. As soon as she'd finished unpacking the rest of Sophie's groceries, Klaus returned. "Are you ready to see New Orleans as you've never seen it before, love?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at him. "Just because you have about a thousand years on me, doesn't mean you know everything."

His smirked widened. "I beg to differ, sweetheart. I consider myself an expert on a vast variety of topics. Shall I demonstrate my knowledge? Pick a subject, and I can give you, at the very least, a good enough summary to please any professor."

Caroline rolled her eyes at him again. "Has anyone ever told you that large egos kill brain cells?"

Klaus laughed delightedly at her comment. "If that were truly the case, love, then I'd have become a vegetable a long time ago."

"I give up. I will have you know, I paid particular attention to my history lessons in both high school and college. Maybe I could teach you a thing or two."

"If I was interested in the trivial history of your sorority, I would ask."

Caroline smacked his shoulder and tried to look annoyed. It was pointless. Klaus just stood there, smirk on his face, and looked positively pleased with himself. Caroline sighed, smiled, and wound her arm through his. "Ok, Professor Mikaelson. Show me the world."

"Actually, that title is very accurate. Elijah and I taught in the same parish as Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, shortly before he printed the Gutenberg Bible. And I intend to show you the world for eternity."

Caroline had the grace to look surprised. "You teach? In a church? That's an oxymoron. Let me guess... The entire university was wiped out after you left?"

"Believe it or not, love, but I am a great supporter of academia. And scholars tend to be more immersed in their work, it makes dealing with them easier. There were a few who crossed me and they were dealt with swiftly."

"What, did they not agree with your grading system?"

Klaus chuckled at that, "More along the lines of they wanted to destroy the Bible that Gutenberg is now so famous for and steal his printing press for their own. I couldn't allow that to happen."

At this, Caroline was was more than surprised. She felt as though a feather could have knocked her over. Klaus laughed at the sight of her.

"I told you, love. I'm a great supporter of academia and anything that furthers knowledge. Besides, I had my own selfish reasons for my actions. I could see that this press would only become what it was under Gutenberg and I had a large investment staked in it. The chaps trying to steal it would have lost me a good chunk of gold."

"Oh, good. I was beginning to worry you'd somehow developed a conscience."

By this time, Klaus had steered Caroline onto a streetcar. It looked as though it had been dropped from early 20th century. They settled themselves toward the back of the car and waited. The operator gave the bell a ring and Caroline almost toppled over as the car lurched forward. Klaus had braced himself against the side before; this wasn't his first trip. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him as she steadied herself on the rumbling streetcar. "Funny joke. I get it. Initiate the newcomer on the rickety-old streetcar."

"They add flair to the city, Caroline. Surely you can see that. And look! You're fine now!"

"I'd like to see myself in the mirror later tonight without a bruise or two."

"Now, love. You know that excuse is invalid." Klaus raised an eyebrow at her.

Caroline humped and settled herself in to enjoy the ride. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see."

The streetcar jostled along as it made it's way outside the city proper and Caroline found herself enjoying the ride more than she initially thought. Klaus was right, they added flair to the city, and she couldn't imagine any other form of public transportation fitting in this city. The operator called out "St. Charles at Third!" and Klaus pulled Caroline toward the exit. He towed her along St. Charles Street before turning down a side street towards the river. Caroline vaguely wondered where they could possibly be going until Klaus stopped in front of an ironwork gate set in a large, plaster wall that enclosed the sight withinl. Above the entrance to the grounds beyond, an ironwork banner read, "LAFAYETTE CEMETERY".

"You took me to a cemetery?"

"Caroline, didn't you just say you paid particular attention to your history classes?"

"Yes, but I don't remember learning about a cemetery."

"Well, then. Allow me to enlighten you with my knowledge." Klaus bowed as he said this, "Welcome to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. New Orleans' most well-known 'City of the Dead'. Home to many famous historical characters, both important to New Orleans and the United States. Did you know they filmed a scene from 'Interview with a Vampire' here?"

"How appropriate," Caroline drawled, "But, I'm impressed with your pop culture knowledge. I'm intrigued though. Why a cemetery?"

"Sweetheart, it's impossible to understand New Orleans without having an understanding of it's dead. A more eclectic and mixed group there never was. Have you ever heard of the Supreme Court case, Plessy v. Ferguson?"

"I told you I paid attention in history class," Caroline said, "It was the Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutional right of state to require racial segregation on public transportation under the doctrine 'separate, but equal'. It was one of the first public civil rights cases in the US to be taken to the Supreme Court."

"Very good. Now, did you know that John H. Ferguson, the defending judge of said case, is buried here?"

"No. That wasn't in the history books."

"Likely because the only reason John H. Ferguson is famous is for the simple fact that his name was written on the _writ of error_ Plessy petitioned for from the Supreme Court after the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld his decision. He enjoyed fame for some time before vanishing into obscurity."

"Well, he ended up being on the losing side of that battle anyways."

Caroline and Klaus made their way into the cemetery and began to leisurely stroll around the vaults. Here and there, Klaus would stop to point out a tomb of someone he had known during his time in New Orleans in the early 20th century. Caroline found herself captivated by the stories of the people long dead Klaus had known in a previous lifetime. There were musicians who helped inspire the Jazz Age, businessmen and politicians who laid the initial ground work for New Orlean expansion in the 80s and 90s (they had a vision in the early 1900s that most people didn't share), and others who wove a history as colorful as anything Caroline had ever heard. New Orleans was a melting pot in the truest sense of the word, and Caroline was shocked to find out that New Orleans' population was so mixed even a hundred years ago that the city devised a system in which to designate the percentage of mixed blood within a person (for example: Homer Plessy was known as an octoroon, someone of seven-eighths Caucasian descent and one-eighth African descent).

By the time they exited the cemetery, Caroline felt that she'd taken a trip back in time. Klaus had detailed the stories of his experiences with those long-dead people so well Caroline felt as though she'd had the privilege of meeting them. She was also surprised to see it was so late in the afternoon. "How is it possible we spent over two hours in a cemetery?"

"When you're with good company and the conversation is carefree, the time flies."

"I wouldn't necessarily call talking about dead people carefree, but it was definitely interesting."

"I stand by my earlier statement."

Caroline smiled and then realized Rebekah was expecting her for their pre-arranged girls' night out in New Orleans. "I need to go home and change. Otherwise Rebekah's going to have my head."

"Ah, yes. The aforementioned 'girls night'. I shall speak with Rebekah about seeing you at some point this evening."

"I wouldn't put it past to her to say no."

Klaus laughed and escorted Caroline out of the cemetery. As they left, Klaus bent to whisper in Caroline's ear, "She'll say yes if she doesn't want me to kidnap you for the evening and keep you all to myself."


End file.
